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The Complex Alive by No_Secret_Revealed [Email]
Genre: Rock

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 883
Comments: 22
Votes: 8
Plays: 251
Last Played: Nov 26, 2008 - 04:52:47 PM
Downloads: 38
Fans: 22
Uploaded: Sep 03, 2008 - 09:24:49 PM
Last Updated: Sep 04, 2008 - 08:31:52 AM
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Description:
Performance credits:

Ronnielong: lead guitar break @ 3:00.
Ian Baird: lyrics, vocals, synth, production, mixing, mastering.
Mason Wolak: music, bass, guitars, drum programming, lead guitar break during intro.

Background: This song began as a soundbed put together by Mason last October. A lyrical theme was arrived at after considerable discussions between Mason and Ian pertaining to the Project for a New American Century. Ronnielong was brought on board as a lead guitarist to complement the songcrafting done by Ian and Mason.

The song explores the murky world of politics along with its connection to the military-industrial complex that presently drives the American economy. The JFK soundbite at the song's end represents a dichotomy in that, on the surface, the quote seems aimed at the (then ongoing) Cold War battle with the USSR, while an underlying theme may have, in fact, centered on existing secret societies such as the infamous Skull-n-Bones. No Secret Revealed leaves it to you, the listener, to decide.

Technical Details: The guitars, bass, and drums were tracked in Mackie’s Tracktion 3 software. Vocals and synth were tracked in Logic 8. The song was mixed and mastered in Logic 8. All rhythm guitars were recorded through a homebuilt TMI 2 Watt Cyclotron guitar amp feeding a Marshal 1936 2X12 cabinet. The cab was mic’d with both a JoeMeek JM37 condenser mic and a Sennheiser e609 dynamic mic, fed into a Mackie Onyx 400F preamp/firewire interface. Bass was recorded D.I. in the Onyx 400F, then processed with IK Multimedia’s Amplitube 2 and Amplitube SVX. Drums were built using the Drumcore plug-in with most midi data coming from the Matt Sorum pack. Fills were programmed manually where needed.

For more information on Mason’s homebuilt TMI cyclotron amp, click here.



Lyrics:
The Complex Alive

Lyrics by Ian Baird 2008

PNAC decides
Bring about a new Pearl Harbor keep the complex alive
The Complex Alive
Horus never blinks
Get off on genocide by political priests

They open fire with rubber bullets
Cause they are not yet allowed
To use the real thing
Oh they love the real thing
Make the whole world sting

I don't know where
I don't know where to run to
The planet is wired
The planet is wired for site and sound

Good citizens will rat on thee
And line up for the vaccines
They have the know how to make you clean
and add the bullshit nice and sheen
To hide that they're the same Nazi's
And we have suckled down their disease

I don't know where
I don't know where to run to

On a black and white chess board
they say who goes and who stays
Read the lips, See the grips
Exterminate us like strays

Mountains of flesh for them to move at will


Hardware:
Gibson Les Paul, TMI Cyclotron amp, Marshall 1936 2X12 cabinet, JoeMeek JM37 condenser mic, Sennheiser e609 dynamic mic, Mackie Onyx 400F firewire interface

Software:
Tracktion 3.0.4.8, Logic 8
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good metal &mdash 09/03/08 - 10:56:11 PM
I'm not well versed in metal but this really sounds like the real thing to me.
sounded sort of industrial a la Prong but that probably just shows how out of date I am.
you guys sound like you would put on a fantastic live show.
nice powerful sounds from all the instruments and vocals.
thanks for posting

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Thanks &mdash 09/03/08 - 11:01:16 PM
Well, I do like the pinch harmonic, which is a trademark of tommie's playing (can't remember the prong guitarist's last name).

Thanks for listening. I really wish the three of us could get together and play this live!

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I remember now &mdash 09/04/08 - 11:03:59 AM
Tommy Victor is his name... used to be the sound man at CBGBs if I remember correctly.

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The Complex Alive &mdash 09/03/08 - 11:01:13 PM
I Love tubes ...this song ROCK!!!!

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This kind of thrashes a person. &mdash 09/03/08 - 11:24:06 PM
Powerful, political and unstoppable. Thank you.

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Metal Well Laid, Gentlemen &mdash 09/04/08 - 01:37:23 AM
Excellently crafted. Congrats to the 3 of you on this sonic onslaught. Thoroughly enjoyed.

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I agree &mdash 09/04/08 - 06:46:10 AM
With every word in this so cool METAL track... Nice gits as drum too..ROCK ON.. Bro

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damn .... &mdash 09/04/08 - 08:38:28 AM
kick the doors down and open the windows amerika .... play it LOUD !

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Sunshine-y &mdash 09/04/08 - 09:11:59 AM
Not! But very good. Very cool tone Mason is getting out of his home-made metal machine, it's got a very succinct growl.

A lot going on here, this must have taken a lot of time to piece together. Good job on the sharp, if morose lyrics.

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YEAH! &mdash 09/04/08 - 10:14:50 AM
I gotta jump in here with a quick comment...

I just gotta say that this song, to me, represents the best of what MacJams is all about. It has been a great pleasure for me to work with Ian. He is a great musician but an even better producer. By producer I mean a guy who "produces" a great piece of music, not only the mixing and mastering aspect but moreover shaping the overall direction of the song. It was most illuminating to see his musical vision in work. I couldn't be more excited about how he took my simple soundbed and turned it into a dynamic, driving force.

And having ronnielong put the finishing touches on it with the guitar solo really brought everything together for me.

So... thanks guys, I had a blast working on this!

Mason

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Onslaught &mdash 09/04/08 - 02:32:39 PM
You had my interest piqued the past few days, that's for sure. Like Relic stated earlier, I, too, don't really know metal that well. I like rainbows and cuddles, but this track is ruthless. It's precise in every detail and extremely well executed. The lyrics are thought provoking, but not preachy and they don't just tell you what's happening. They give you something to gnaw on. The music kind of rises above the standard "metal" tag. Perhaps that's my misconception of what "metal" is, but I'm glad you labeled it "Rock" (perhaps to drive more listeners, but it's also good not to pigeonhole it). I also got the same industrial vibe Relic got. Another nod to how this track is more musically advanced and diverse to just place it in a specific category. Great job the three of you!

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Thanks for the comments &mdash 09/05/08 - 07:25:19 AM
Glad you took the time to listen and that our little teasers worked...

With regards to labeling the song's genre - I tend to go for a more general genre rather than get into specifics. I find that people have such differing interpretations of what "metal" is... everything from glam-ear Poison/Motley Cure to the heaviest/hardest Cradle of Filth or Deicide. I figure that for the most part what I write falls under the umbrella of rock music - the listener can decide what sub-category it falls into.

Honestly if I were to give it a label, it would be "Politicore"

Mason

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WOW &mdash 09/04/08 - 04:45:58 PM
this is incredible, man! very cool song. timely lyrics and excellent vocals. I hear a touch of Korn in this but you guys definitely have a sound of your own that I like very very much. Ronnie's style is well suited to this song as well - good call and GREAT solo. I can tell many many hours went into this and it's really paid off. Hope to hear a lot more from this team. Excellent collab. One of the best posts ever on this site imo.

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wow &mdash 09/05/08 - 07:27:27 AM
It is always touching when an artist that you truly admire has nice things to say about your own work. Thanks a lot ridd, you made my day.

Mason

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Heavy as hell! &mdash 09/04/08 - 05:45:17 PM
Fantastic track guys! I agree with rsorensen- one of the best tracks posted here! Thanks for allowing downloading of this, I got my copy :)

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nICEI like the lead heavy duty &mdash 09/04/08 - 06:07:18 PM
Sounds pro to me The bull horn is a nice touch. HEavy duty enjoyed!

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Totally kickin us in the ASS!! &mdash 09/04/08 - 06:41:42 PM
Maybe this is what we need??? This is powerful and thought provoking and totally kicks ass!!!! Great lyrics, and delivery Ian. Mason you delivered a great bed for this to come to life. You gotta love the subtleness of the beginning of the solo by Ronnie, it sucks you in further, and by the time it ends you have the volume cranked, and your speakers are begging for mercy.... but alas there is no mercy from the likes of NSR.... SO VERY COOL you guys. Thanks for the free bee.
Peace
Guy

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Do you need throat lozenges &mdash 09/05/08 - 11:22:23 AM
after that?

Fine work boys. Great guitar sound and playing. Impressive drum programming.

Nice to see the art of the political song is not yet dead.

Cheers

Dick

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this is far from &mdash 09/05/08 - 12:39:32 PM
my listening sphere, so normally i wouldnt say anything cuz i dont understand the techniques of the modern tones you guys get(especially on the vocals)...but this is a recording that just JUMPS out in a way i have not heard from the modern recordings....the production is not the muddy mess i hear in so much of this style, but a crystal clear landscape of sound, angry frustrated sound. I am totally impressed by this whole package. Ronnie Long totally smokes the guitar solo, and it is PERFECT in the context of the song.

I am going to get my daughter to give her take on this, and I'm betting she will really like it, being the socially conscious music freak that she is.

I can only say this is one hell of a track. Great great effort by all.

deepest bows and as they say...you guys rawk!


z

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:) &mdash 09/09/08 - 02:28:37 AM
Thank you Sir Zetes..

Really glad you stepped out of your "sphere" to gave this track a try :) And we're really glad you liked it! Hope yer daughter did too..

99.9999% of the credit, of course, belongs to Mason and Ian... I just lucked out on being asked to slap one of me wacky solos on there..

More collabs in the future though, so keep an ear out!

:)

And nay, deepest bows in fact to you Sir... its always mindblowing to be commended by an artist we admire..

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from/to the gut &mdash 09/18/08 - 07:20:09 AM
I'm with Ziti on this one, I can tell when I'm listening to something this well done in any corner of the noise spectrum. You don't have to hear it so much as feel this punch in the gut. It's all in synch and targeted dead-on.

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The Comples Alive &mdash 09/19/08 - 11:45:28 AM
The PNAC sucks and every member of it is an absolute moron, but you guys RULE! this tune rocks!

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